Following a 2023-2024 season where the men’s basketball team won the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament, CWU will lose many key contributors due to graduation. The Wildcat’s future is not in jeopardy though with five new players committed to the university for the upcoming season. 

Three of the five signings made were players who have previous collegiate basketball experience. 

One of the players who committed to CWU out of high school is Eli Williams. Williams, standing at 6-foot 4-inches, came from North Central High School, in Spokane, Washington. During his highschool years he brought his team to their first state appearance since 2011 and their first district championship in 32 years. 

The other high schooler was Jamari Harris who is 6-foot 5-inches and out of Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington. Harris is a very athletic two-way guard who can help the Wildcats on both sides of the floor.

Kobe Parlin is a 6-foot 2-inch guard and will be someone to watch next season to bring lots of scoring in his transfer to CWU. Coming off his freshman season he averaged 17 points per game at Lower Columbia College and was a key part in them winning the West Region Championship. 

Parlin felt there were many things that CWU provides to help him as a player and as a student, and he’s looking forward to getting better. “I really like the facilities for academics and athletics,” Parlin said. “I felt like I fit in very well with the team and it was easy to mesh with everyone. I am very excited to play along[side] these guys. Also I heard CWU has one of the best atmospheres in the GNAC and I am excited to find out.” 

The next commitment was Calvin Sisk who will bring a height advantage for the Wildcats as he stands at 7-foot 2-inches. Sisk went to North Dakota State College of Science where he averaged 11 points per game and seven rebounds. He was also a key contributor in getting his team a region championship. 

Sisk said he joined CWU because when he visited it felt like home. He is looking forward to getting CWU another GNAC championship and getting farther into nationals. “I’m very excited for this season, it’s a young team but we are very hungry and I like what they can do on the floor and I’m excited to be a part of it,” Sisk said. “I will bring a lot of rim protection on defense and will bring a lot of running the floor on transition and finishing around the rim.”

The final commitment so far was 6-foot 9-inch sharp shooter Dallon Morgan out of Eastern Arizona College (EAC). He averaged nine points per game and five rebounds per game as well as making 64 three pointers on the year. EAC was able to win their region championship with the help of Morgan as well. 

Head coach Brandon Rinta expressed excitement about the turnout of the recruiting class and is looking forward to seeing them fit in with the returning players. Rinta also talked about what it’s going to take for the team to do to defend their GNAC title with key seniors leaving the roster this past season. 

“First, we are going to need to establish leadership early on,” Rinta said. “Second, we will need to be one of the best defensive teams in the conference. It takes consistency to win championships and the one thing you can have control of every time you step on the court is your level of effort and focus on the defensive end.”

While the basketball season is far from starting, these new recruits will have plenty of time to get attuned with the culture here at CWU and work on keeping the GNAC trophy in Ellensburg.